Love Me Tender
by cynthiajeann
Summary: Kit Walker and Alma Gordon (AU) He could feel it ignite in his bones, even as she walked away from his home, to return to her own, Kit knew that that was the last time he ever wanted to see her walk away from him again.


LOVE ME TENDER

Chapter one | He's a Rebel

It had been one of the hottest days that summer, it was the summer before Kit would turn twenty, he was already a man, but his folks decided to leave him one last present before they went back to his grandparents place.

"Pop why are we all the way out here?"

"Isn't the place you were telling me and your mom about kid?"

"Dad...You didn't.."

"One day Kit, you're going to have a family, and your own son to cherish and love as much as your ma and I, love you"

"But all this?"

"What else do we got to spend money on, we sold the house and have everything we need back in Tuckertin"

"Pop...I don't know what to say.."

"Say that you accept and take the keys, dummy"

Kit's mouth spread in a crooked grin and he pulled one of his long arms over his fathers shoulder giving him an acceptable man hug taking the keys that jangled in the old mans wrinkled and warn hands. Arms stretched across the others, the two brunette Walker men open the big white door.

It wasn't overly fancy, but it was everything Kit would need, a chick house, bathroom, kitchen, a bedroom suit, an extra bedroom if he needed it a few doors, it was spacey but cozy and warm.

Two weeks later, and Kit was settled in, his dad helped him move in his furniture, put in the floor, carpet, everything, fix the doors, the windows, Kit was giving it a new coat of paint on the outside when he really thought about it, being alone all the time, out in the country, it wasn't too great.

Who liked being alone? He sure didnt, it was then and there, with the white paint splattered on his hands and his jaw that Kit decided to find some help. He'd be working full time again in a week, when those punk kids weren't looking for money to spend.

He slid off the ladder and walked inside, almost in a rush as he slid off his tennis shoes and walked bare footed across the alumnium of the kitchen, taking a piece of paper and scribbling his home phone number and a giant "help wanted: looking for a maid" in the middle of the paper, with his name and address, smiling to himself, Kit grabs a few more pieces of paper and writes it all out again and again.

He grabbed a dollar and hoped into his old pick up truck, pulling out of the giant yard and in a matter of fifteen minuets, he was in town.

Kit pressed down on his breaks and pulled around the curb, just to watch a pair of colored girls to walk past, one had a yellow bret in her hair, he'd by lying if he didn't do a double take on her, checking her out.

Kit folded the papers and pulled on a jacket, fixing the collar and sending a comb through his hair, not realizing how much of a mess he really looked.

The curly haired brunette grabs his pack of smokes and places a weed between his lips, burning the end with the flick of a match, tossing the box on the empty seat beside him, he sucks in the air, the sharp thick and cool smoke easing down into his lung and flowing in the air around him; clouding him.

He pushed the truck door closed, piece of paper folded in his jeans ass pocket, he trudges over to the other side of the street, and walks into the local hardware store, leaning over the counter, a charming dimpled face smitten on his tired face, asking if he could put a flyer in the window.

They pressed it up in no time, and with a wave and a final smile Kit was out of there, walking around to the stores he knew the colored kids were allowed to be in, and stayed clear of the pretentious stores that didn't.

The final flyer and Kit was puffing on his fag, head leaning back on the seat of his truck, staring at his sloppy scribbled words, blowing smoke at the paper, as if it'd do anything. Love machine playing on the radio, as his old engine purred under him, sighing Kit sits straight and hits the road, to the colored part of town, personally he didn't see it like that, he didn't understand the division but then again, there he was looking for a maid.

He stopped at the church, it was located in the dead center between the divisions, a little off the road, Kit turned and drove down on the gravel road, chewing his lip, the taste of cigarettes stained his teeth. He came to a halt and looked around, grabbing his piece of paper, he shut the door and took a nervous breath. He sauntered towards the church, it wasn't like it was every day white folks came bustling around getting into things they didn't need to.

As much as colored kids got beaten, whites would too. The world was an imperfect place and now Kit was caught in the middle.

The door was open, and he could hear the preacher practicing for the morning's services, awkward and shy Kit walked in, looking around at the sanctuary, wondering why everything had to be different, when it was all the same.

Taking a deep breath he waved nervously as the man with peppered gray and white hair acknowledged him.

"Excuse me, sir-pastor" He quickly corrected himself, his words coming out in chops of his Boston accent, he runs his finger along the paper, avoiding eye contact Kit stared at his shoes, embarrassed.

"Now what is white farmer boy like you, doin' all the way out in colored town"

"I aint a farmer boy, and well I don't mean to be offensive or nothing, but I'm looking for a maid-"

"So you came to the negro side of town to offer some poor little black girl a job cleaning up after you"

"Yes, well no, no! I'm all alone and I need someone to help take care of my house"

"You aint got a wife boy?"

"I aint never been in love before"

For some reason, this caused a smile to spread on the elder dark mans face, the sincere gesture of his smile, made the knots in Kit's stomach calm, even if it was just a little. The pastor held his hand out, Kit noticed a gold ring, so he was married. He passed him the paper.

"I know a few young girls needing a job, you're a good man.." He looked down, adjusting the paper so he could see it just right and smiled "Mr. Walker"

"Thank you sir, so much, really"

"Not a problem, now get your white ass out of here before it gets beaten"

"Yeah, alright- Just one thing sir..."

Kit ran his palm across the back of his neck, looking up at the man of god and sighs and he nods waiting for Kit to speak up.

"You marry for love?"

"What other reason is there to be married?"

Kit smiled, exposing his pearly white teeth and shakes his head, smiling and runs his hand through his hair, waving good bye as he walks out of there, into his truck and leans his forehead on the wheel, sighing happily as he drives out of there.

Yakety Yak by the Coasters began to fill up the tiny cabin of his truck as he sped home, to a nice case of beer and a sandwich waiting to be made.

Two days later, and Kit still hadn't heard anything from anyone, not a single reply. He had work in three days and being a self sufficient man, he wanted to come home to dinner and a clean house, but there was no one in that town for him, every girl was the same, all they cared about was gossip, being on top and breeding. It was pathetic and he was growing real tired of it all.

Kit was spending his free time working on his truck, just like he was now, jeans tightly squeezing his lower half, while he had a white t-shirt rolled up on his sleeves, head dug down in the pits of his hood. Radio turned up next to him, singing along in the echos of his engine, alone with no one around for miles.

Until he feels a tiny tap on his shoulder, surprised, Kit jumps up, slamming his head on the top of the trunk hood, groaning as he leans back from it, holding the bruised spot of his head, he turns and rubs his eye narrowing his eyes to fix it to focus.

"Is Mr. Walker around?"

"Yeah that's me"

Kit was amazed he got a word out of him, holding his hand out towards her, the girl smiles and put her hand in his, her soft mocha skin burned Kit's hands with tingles, he couldn't take his brown eyes off her, a goofy smile smitten on his lips

"Are you okay?"

"Huh?" He looks at her, snapping out of his zone, he had been dazed in, she smelled like honey and vanilla even from the space between them "Oh yeah, come on, lets go inside" Kit tilts his head to the side and wipes his hands on the oil stained cloth and tosses it on the top of the trunk's hood.

Slightly massaging the back of his head, he holds the door open for her, a small petty smile returned on her face as she enters, her eyes bulge wide, jaw nearly drops.

"I'm sorry, I should of cleaned up.." Kit nearly smacks himself in the face, and moves around the piles of garbage and other things that shouldn't be there.

"It's alright, I can see you're condition for needing a maid" Her voice was soft, and smart, like an angel, sitting down at the cleared of table, a warm smile on her milk chocolate lips, the sight of them made Kit burn and lick his own mouth.

"Should we get started with the interview?" She tilts her head to the side, placing a small bag on the floor by her feet.

He nods and sits down across from her "What's your name?"

"Alma Gordon"

He liked the tone of that, Alma...Alma... Kit smiles and makes them each a cup of coffee, being as good of a host as he could be.

"What days work best for you?"

"Well I can come every day, apart from Sundays of course"

"Not a problem"

"How many days do you work"

"Well I run the gas station coming into town"

Her eyes perk up and she smiles "Everyday?"

"From five in the morning to eight in the evening"

"Wow"

He nods smiling at her as they drift into a comfortable silence, he sits upright remembering who he was, where they were but he couldn't care, besides she probably had a boyfriend and it was against the rules for maids to date or even consider being with their employee's.

It was an hour, and Kit was infatuated he knew he'd found his help and he knew he didn't want anyone or anything more than he wanted Alma. He could feel it ignite in his bones, even as she walked away from his home, to return to her own, Kit knew that that was the last time he ever wanted to see her walk away from him again.


End file.
